Current responsive signal



June 15, 1954 B. E. CAULK, JR

Y CURRENT RESPONSIVE SIGNAL Filed June 8, 1953 Fig.2

III/l/ Barreff E. Caulk, Jr.

' JNVENTOR 9 BY MF HM Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECURRENT RESPONSIVE SIGNAL Barrett Caulk, Jr., Tampa, Fla.

Application June 8, 1953, Serial No. 3605028 Claims. .1

This invention relates generally to household appliances and pertainsmore particularly to an attachment for use with electrical appliancesprovided with current shut-off mechanisms.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an appliance attachmentwhich incorporates audible signal means actuatedin response todeenergization of an appliance with which it is associated.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment forproducing audible indicating signals in conjunction with householdelectrical appliances which is simple, yet efiective, in constructionand lends itself readily to mass production.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the novel attachment shown in usewith a suitable household appliance;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the attachment with its cover removed,showing details of its internal construction on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along thecenter line of the attachment, as indicated by the section line 33 ofFigure 1, the section showing details of the internal construction ofthe attachment on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a modified form of attachment.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral It!indicates generally the wall of a room to which the novel attachment maybe conveniently secured, the attachment in its entirety being indicatedgenerally by the reference character l2, while reference numeral l4indicates generally a household appliance, such ciated that this meansof indicating the desired operating condition of the appliance is notwholly desirable inasmuch as it requires close scrutiny of the same toascertain whether or not the indicating light has been lie-energized.For this reason, the hereinafter described attachment is to be connectedthrough the suitable lead-in cord 20 of the appliance.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, the attachmentincludes the main base plate portion 22 which may be provided withsuitable countersunk apertures 25 for the reception of fastening meansfor securement of this plate portion to any suitable support, such asthe wall It, and a cover 25 is secured by the fastening elements Zlthereto. An angulated bracket plate is secured to the inner surface ofthe cover 25 and this plate includes a generally u shaped centralportion presenting the vertically spaced horizontally extending legs 23interconnected by the bight portion as between which the electromagneticcoil 32 is sandwiched. The free ends of these legs are provided withright angularly bent feet Hand 36 which are rigidly secured to the innersurface of the cover, and the upper foot 34 is provided with a stop car38 extending parallel to the legs 26 and whose under surface at its freeend is provided with a resilient buffer 40 for a purpose presentlyapparent.

Legs '28 are provided with registering apertures through which a guidesleeve 42 extends, audit will be seen that the outer surface of thissleeve is in frictional engagement with a vertical bore extendingthrough the coil 32 while the inner surface of the sleeve provides aguide for the core 44. In this manner, the sleeve 3?. serves not only toproperly maintain the coil 32 in position between the legs 28 but alsoserves as a guide member for the core 44.

Core 44 is longitudinally recessed and receives the upper end of astriker rod 46, there being a tight frictional engagement between thesetwo members. A guide shelf &8 extends inwardly from the front wall ofthe cover 26 and is notched at its inner end, as indicated by thereference numeral 5|], to present bifurcated leg portions 52 whichreceive the striker at therebetween. A washer 54 surrounds the strikerand a coil spring 56 is telescopically received on an intermediateportion of the striker member 46 in interposition between the lower endof the core as and the upper surface of the washer 54 so that the coilspring will normally maintain the assembly in the position shown inFigure 3. A chime member 58 of elongated U-shaped configuration isprovided at its bight portion with a mounting flange 60 which issuitably secured to the cover,

26, this chime member being disposed slightly below the lower end of thestriker rod 46 when the latter is in the normal position shown in Figure3.

An outlet socket 62 is provided on one side of the cover and, as isconventional, this outlet socket is provided with a pair of contactelements 64 and E6, the former of which is connected to a conductor'fillof the inlet wire assembly 10. Contact 66 is connected through theconductor 12 to one side of the coil 32 whereas the other side of thecoil is connected through the conductor M which constitutes the otherconductor of the wire assembly 19.

In operation, the wire H1 is provided with a.

plug 16 which is inserted into a wall outlet 18 and the plug 80 of theinlet wire 20 ofthe electrical appliance I 4 is connected with theoutlet socket 62 of the attachment. Assuming the appliance to be turnedto the on positiomsuch appliance will draw current through. theattachment to energize the coil 32 and. elevate the plunger 44 from itsnormal position shown in Figure 3, the buffer Ml beingprovidedto-prevent too great an upward displacement of the plunger. Whenthe appliance has reached its proper operating temperature or condition,its'mechanism shuts off the flow of supply current, thus deenergizingthe coil 32 and. allowing the plunger 44 and striker 46 to fall bygravity to strike upon the chime 58 andproduce an audible sound. Thespring 58 will, ofv course, immediately return the striker G6 to itsspaced position with relation to the chime so as to allow the latter tofreel vibrate and produce a pleasing and 1asting tone to call the usersattention to the fact that the appliance has reached its properoperating condition.

Referrin now more particularly to Figure4, a modified form of attachmentis shown whose construction is substantially identical to the previouslydescribed attachment with the exception that its cover 82 is providedwith an electrically operated clock 84, there being no outlet socket inthis cover. Instead, the wire assembly 86 is provided-with suitableconductors which supply current to the electromagnetic mechanism withinthe housing of the attachment, and which also constitute supplyconductors connected to the combination plug and socket 88 so that theappliance wire 90 may be connected thereto through it's plug. 92. Themem.- ber 88 is, of course, provided with suitable prongs for engagementwith the conventional Wall outlet 94.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly; all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with an electric appliance provided with control meansfor disestablishing electrical input thereto, a signal apparatuscomprising a housing provided with an outlet for connection to saidappliance, an electromagnetic coil inv said housing connected seriallywith said outlet, a core received in said coil and movable therebyto anelevated position, an audio indicating mechanism in said housing belowsaid core whereby the core will fall by gravity and strike saidmechanism when the appliance disconnects its input energy.

2. The combination of claiml wherein a guide member is disposed betweensaid coil and said mechanism, guidably receiving said core.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said core is provided with anenlarged upper portion, resilient means engaged between said enlargedportion andsaid guide.

4.. The. combination of claim 3 wherein said resilient means Comprises acoil spring telescopi- & cally received on said core.

5, A signal apparatus for electric appliances of the type havingtemperature responsive. input control devices, said apparatu ,vcomprising a housing having an electrical outlet for connection to anappliance, an electromagnet coil in said housing connected. to saidoutlet and provided with a movable core, a chimedispcsed below saidcore, said core being elevated when said coil is. energized whereby thecore will strike said chime when the flow of current through said coilis interrupted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,980,194 Ford Nov. 13, 1934 2,427,444 Colombo Sept. 16, 19472,582,790 Newell Jan. 15, 1952 2,592,989 Wilson Apr. 15, 1952 2,609,431Faltz Sept. 2, 1952 MAL)...

